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#which you encounter from the side when you make your way up to the horus
hzdtrees · 1 year
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Horus at the edge
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crapitskizaru · 5 years
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Side Effects May Include: Devil Fruits Edition
🦖 Could I request some HCs on how devil fruits would affect the user’s sex lives? :o this is so vague but it’s so interesting to consider that I wanted to hear your opinions, haha
Warning: in-depth analysis of all the naturalistic filth that comes along in the topic of a human body and sexual encounters + freakishly long-ass post that includes most of the currently known devil fruits 
Logia Types
Hie Hie no Mi (Kuzan) 
❄️ since he’s such a chilly guy ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°), he’d certainly use his abilities to cool down the temperature of his body during any sexual encounter - Kuzan doesn’t really like all the heat and sweat that is produced during the steamy see what I did here? hilarious times in between him and his current lover 
❄️ if his partner’s vagina is sore because of reasons varying from physical injuries to hardcore love-making, he’s the perfect guy to come up with a quick solution - a chilly, smooth dildo of his own making to ease out the pain pretty much torpedoes the problem 
Goro Goro no Mi (Enel)
⚡️ this one’s a little tricky; since he can transform himself into pure electricity, he’d have to keep that in mind at all times, especially when reaching his climax - so that he wouldn’t electrocute his lover from too much excitement 
⚡️ if he’s an extreme sucker for kinkplays, he could use the tiniest bit of his powers to either stimulate his partner or punish them for disobedience of any kind, provided they’re into it as well 
⚡️ given that Enel can also use his skills to listen to the electrical sound waves in the air, he’d have an incredibly detailed perception of how his lover reacts to particular sex positions, angles of his thrusts and so on i honestly don’t know what to do with this information 
Gasu Gasu no Mi (Caesar)
☁️ sex in the air?????
Magu Magu no Mi (Sakazuki)
🐶 this shit only serves him an inability to get too caught up in the moment, unless he wants this particular person to get burned alive during sex 
🐶 so besides the obvious flaws, the only advantage I can think of is being able to serve as a human heater to his partner during particularly cold nights if only he would ever actually cuddle someone
Mera Mera no Mi (Acey & Saboo)
🔥 just as with Akainu, these bois will instantly heat up even their coldest partners - a lot of warmth and a lot of sweat-producing usually accompanies them during love-making sessions 
🔥 might include the annoying issue of holes being burned right through their clothing whenever they get too fiery with the act - as well as the possibility of unintentionally starting a fire in the room 
Moku Moku no Mi (Smoker)
🚬 I can easily imagine him using the ability of producing as much smoke as he fancies to blind his lover for maximized kinky submission experience 
🚬 also, using the great speed with which all the smoke allows him to move in order to intensify the frequency of his thrusts - could it get any better?
Numa Numa no Mi (Caribou) 
🛸 used for stabilizing his partner’s legs/waist/arms so that he can devote all of his attention towards pleasuring both of them, without having to worry about occupying his hands to hold them 
🛸 also available for kinky use - all of that bondage gear could be replaced with those muddy serpents of his just perfect 
🛸 provided he’s got a rather powerful dominance/daddy kink, Caribou could also create the bottomless swamps to trap his partner and make them beg for his cock 
Pika Pika no Mi (Borsalino) 
💥 reflecting himself into various positions to gain dominance? Heating his partner up? Providing enough room lighting? Sex at the speed of light? What?
Suna Suna no Mi (Crocodaddy) 
🐊 trapping his lover in piles of quicksand for further teasing seems like a good enough idea to me - also, since he can crumble things to dust in literal seconds, stripping his partner down is never as quick as when it comes to this man 
🐊 the ability to absorb any liquid makes cleaning up his cum from the drenched sheets a rather easy job that’s quite handy actually 
Yami Yami no Mi (Blackbeard) 
👺 the only use of this shit that I can think of is, again, blinding his partner and surrounding them with pure darkness, leaving them all hot and bothered in anticipation for his traitorous cock 
👺 could also serve as a technique of pulling a person towards himself, like he did with Ace, but that’s just too scary to me, idk 
Yuki Yuki no Mi (Monet)
💨 compressing her snow to different bondage gear, as well as cooling her partner down at particularly humid times - although I think it’d be hard for her to control the powers while being in a highly aroused state 
Paramecia Types
Ato Ato no Mi (Jora) 
🎨 courting her crushes with abstract art paintings, thank u very much 
Awa Awa no Mi (Kalifa) 
🛁 unlimited lube supplies
🛁 now that’s what I’m talking about 
🛁 I can assure you, this woman would go all out with those bubbly powers - using it to turn her various kinks into reality 
🛁 used for draining her partner’s energy to gain as much dominance over them as possible; also to clean up from all the bodily fluids that cover them after each round of sex 
🛁 could come in handy to relax her partner and bring them floods of pleasure, often to the point of overstimulation 
Baku Baku no Mi (Wapol) 
🏰 no, I can’t do this 
Bane Bane no Mi (Bell)
🛎 boing-boinging into his lover during sex??????
Bara Bara no Mi (Buggy D. Clown)
🤡 oh, this one’s good 
🤡 this fruit allows him to use more dildos and plugs with his fingers than he could count on one hand - mainly because he’s got two im so funny 
🤡 thrusting inside his partner and giving oral at the exact same time, because why not; the only requirement would be that his lover can’t get too grossed out by all of this dirty shit 
Bari Bari no Mi (Bartolomeo)
💫 being able to make love to his partner against the barriers that he creates/creating surfaces to fuck on in places that no one sane enough would ever consider as suitable ones for having sex 
Bata Bata no Mi (Galette) 
😈 imagine how much fun this woman has in bed - being able to control and restrict anyone’s movements with those buttery thingies, she doesn’t even have to try much to be the dominant one in between the sheets
😈 also, consider this: butter-flavoured lube and unlimited + unbreakable flavoured condoms 
Beri Beri no Mi (Very Good)
🍇 berry/sphere-shaped dildos??? incredible
Beta Beta no Mi (Trebol)
💧 if his partner has a vagina, he could control their discharge, as in the amount and its texture - what for, I have no idea 
💧 he’d also be able to restrict his lover’s movements, as well as come up with new positions, since he can attach himself to any surface 
💧 other use may be as a lube? although that’s pretty disgusting 
Bisu Bisu no Mi (Cracker) 
🍪 do you find yourself daydreaming about sweets when close to climaxing? Are you experiencing unexpected, overwhelming cravings during sex? Constantly hungry? Or simply bored with orgasms? Fear not! This man will supply you with floods of biscuits to munch on so that both of you will be pleasured 
🍪 moving cookie dildos??
Doru Doru no Mi (Mr.3)
🕯 various bondage constructions made with wax? 
Fuku Fuku no Mi (Kin’emon)
👙 imagine how many sets of lingerie this man would create for his partner to wear - a literal dream come true when it comes to this pervert 
Fuwa Fuwa no Mi (Shiki)
🦁 advanced sex positions in the air/rotating his lover according to the man’s whims 
Giro Giro no Mi (Violet) 
🌹 this woman would bring her lover as much pleasure as possible while also making their deepest kinks and desires come true 
🌹 she’s also able to read which positions are the most enjoyable for her partner and what they secretly think of her sex skills kinda scary if you ask me 
Gura Gura no Mi (Whitebeard) 
🌎 what may be possible when it comes to this fruit is creating the tiniest vibrations in order to stimulate different areas of a human body and bringing powerful orgasms, although that’s just too good to be true 
Hana Hana no Mi (Robin-chwan) 
🌷 giving oral and being able to grope her partner, both at the same time, seems like a pretty good use of this devil fruit 
🌷 slight possibility of sprouting as many pair of legs as she fancies and ability to take theoretically unlimited partners at the same time? 
Horu Horu no Mi (Ivankov) 
👅 starting the love-making session while having a dick and ending it with a vagina? Why not? 
👅 imagine how much Ivankov could arouse their partner by increasing their levels of dopamine/serotonin/testosterone/estrogen, according to their desires
Hoya Hoya no Mi (Charlotte Daifuku) 
🏺 gains +1 spectator, if he’s an exhibitionist ;)
Kage Kage no Mi (Gekko Moria) 
🕳 could have multiple partners, exclusively at his service?
Kilo Kilo no Mi (Miss Valentine) 
🎀 would totally be able to pin her lover to the bed, preventing them from flipping on top of her - what an easy way to gain dominance, although she’d have to be extra careful not to crush them well
Kobu Kobu no Mi (Bello Betty<3)
🌌 her partner receives almost overwhelming waves of encouragement, whether in order to praise them or to push them to keep going - this woman certainly doesn’t take sex lightly 
🌌 is able to turn even the most insecure lovers into confident sex-animals in the matter of seconds 
Kuri Kuri no Mi (Charlotte Opera) 
🍦 moisture! Lube! Food kink! Quick snack! Fluffy surface! Whatever you want!
Mane Mane no Mi (Bon Clay) 
🦄 ever wished it was your crush instead of ą random hook-up? Problem solved indefinitely~
Mato Mato no Mi (Vander Decken)
🐍 he could try aiming dildos at his partner from afar? Why did I even think of this?
Memo Memo no Mi (Charlotte Pudding) 
🎞 rewatching her and her partner’s favorite sex moments whenever she wants, almost like a portable(?), realistic porn movie
🎞 being able to erase all of the sexual encounters during which she either didn’t enjoy herself enough or performed badly and doesn’t want her lover to remember it terrifying 
Mero Mero no Mi (Hancock) 
🎇 keeps perverts at distance 
Mochi Mochi no Mi (Charlotte Katakuri) 
🍩 food kink
🍩 is able to restrain his lover’s movements so that they have to plead for his cock - good method whenever Mochi’s in a dominant mood~ 
🍩 food kink
🍩 it also allows him to create as much mochi as he desires in order to either lick it off of his partner’s body or make them lick him clean 
Nagi Nagi no Mi (Rosie)
🍰 his lover can be as loud as they want - screams, pleads, moans and groans of pleasure - nothing will be audible outside of his sphere, which comes in handy when he just wants to have a quickie and Doffy’s in the room next to them 
Netsu Netsu no Mi (Charlotte Oven) 
🌡 hot dick 
Nikyu Nikyu no Mi (Bartholomew Kuma)
🐾 useful when you never want to see your partner again 
Ope Ope no Mi (Trafalgar the Fucking Law) 
⛄️ now that’s the kinkiest shit 
⛄️ just visualize all of the fucked up poses and positions he could slice his partner into, and then multiply it by Law’s level of sadism - great 
⛄️ this man’s totally able to make his partner watch from afar as he plays and fucks their body the way he likes 
⛄️ could he slice his dick off and use it as a dildo though?
Ori Ori no Mi (Hina)
⛓ brings hardcore bondage to a completely new level (:
Pero Pero no Mi (Charlotte Perospero) 
🍭 what else if not creating lickable, candy dildos - and just like Mochi, he loves to lick his own candy from his lover’s body 
🍭 also various candy creations to restrain his lover with
Wara Wara no Mi (Basil Hawkins) 
🃏 cute little voodoo dolls to cuddle!
Ito Ito no Mi (Donquixote Doflamingo)
🍨 imagine how incredibly kinky this man can get with his powers 
🍨 holding his partner in the air with those strings? Leaving small cuts all over their body, if they agree to that, edging and marking?
🍨 also using it as bondage gear and maximalyzing his Daddy authority/dom position, since his partner can’t even wriggle so that they won’t get cut 
Bastard Bastard no Mi (Eustass Kid)
🔥 manipulating the restricting bondage gear/handcuffs/jewelry of his partner’s according to his whims and wishes 
🔥 also knife play mastered to perfection?
Zoan Types
🦖 every furry’s heaven, thank u 
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smokeybrand · 4 years
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Love, Aliens, and Other Things
I’m not a religious dude at all. I lack the capacity for faith so all things christian, become an exhausting exercise in whimsy. For me, there’s no difference between the Jude-Christian rhetoric so many people all over the world blindly follow, and The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster or the Jedi Order. It’s all mythology to me and i approach it as such. When you do, you find that there are so many similarities and coincidences to ancient mythologies from Sumeria, Babylon, and Egypt. This tells me either modern religion is a distillation of those stories and THEIR myths are correct in telling our origins or the people who would become Jews just adopted a bunch of Babylonian stories, changing them to make their people the principal protagonists. Either way, the beginnings of Jude-Christian canon are rooted in the Babylonian legends; The List of Kings and the Annunaki.
True enough, the tales within the Enuma Elish, the Babylonian creation story, mirror that of the biblical Genesis to the letter, only, the Elish speaks as if Eden were a real place that existed in real time. There was a sense of divinity in their tales but you can tell by their description that their gods were very mortal and the miracles they weaved were based in technology. I imagine, over time, these spectacles of science were perverted into the divine miracles because the lesser people who would eventually become the Hebrew tribe, were literally too dumb to even understand secondhand accounts of these events. the extraterrestrial Annunki became angels, their spaceships became divine chariots, and their mastery of medicines become miracles. To the ancient of ancients, these things were physical, tangible, and real not questions of faith.
If you accept that the Enuma Elish has just s much validity as the Bible, like i do, then you have to accept that all these visitation accounts from around the ancient world are just as relevant. They all deserve the same type of objective eye. You have to look at the Mahabharata like an Indian version of Genesis. You have to take into account the very real knowledge the ancient Egyptians, ancient Mayans, and many Native American tribes possessed, was given to them by several, different, interstellar races. There are tales of underground ant people spoken of by the Hopi and the mystic powers of those who inhabited the Isle of Man off the coast of Brittan. Every one knows the legend of Atlantis but not so many know about the lost continent in the Pacific called Mu. There is a very detailed account of a strange woman who arrived from the se in what is clearly some sort of alien craft, told for generations by the Japanese and, indeed, Emperor Qin, the founder of all China, was said to be part dragon, himself. Now, the only conclusion i can draw from all of these fantastical tales is that we have been visited by people from the stars, for millennia. They have walked, step-in-step, with us as we evolved into the people we are today. Call them gods, angels, aliens, divine, damned, whatever; These beings exist. If you can believe that Jesus is the son of God, then Giglamesh can be 2/3 divine and Horus was born on December 25th and Merlin was half faye. There is no difference.
Now, all that said, i just watched a documentary about a guy who got f*cked by an alien. It’s call Love and Saucers and you should watch the f*ck out of it. dude’s name is David Huggins and his star-crossed lover was called Crescent. Huggins had started having experiences with alien encounters at a young age, around 7 or 8, and it was in this time that he first met he betrothed. Which makes her a interplanetary pedophile. She groomed Dave until he was almost grown, just this side of barely legal, and then harvested the f*ck out of that cherry-boy! Motherf*cker said his first astro-nut at 17 actually hurt like the dickens and that losing his virginity to intergalactic gash was a terrible experience. Bro, if Mass Effect and/or Star Trek has taught me anything, when a hot alien female shows up and offers you that deep space wet place, you thank her for the privilege, present your saddle, and let her ride! You about to see all of the stars tonight!
These warp drive trysts continued for years. He developed legitimate feeling for his extraterrestrial eve, so much so that he couldn’t cultivate a relationship with pedestrian earth girls beyond a single date. But he had Crescent so he didn’t mind. Dave, ever the gentleman, even got her flowers once, flowers she took after that interstellar booty call. What did she give him in return?  Like, 60 kids. Apparently, Mr. Huggins got that good-good in his balls. He tells the story of how Crescent revealed his paternity and it was basically, “Surprise, your little halfling baby is dying maybe?” I dunno, man, Dave said he touched it and came back to life and then he was led to a room full of his kids, all of who were in varying states of mortis. So, to save what can only be described as a brood, he went through this entire warehouse of infants, and touched them all, saving their lives. It was weird. How do i know this sh*t is weird? Because he painted that sh*t!
Bro, Dave has visual aids! He has painted hundreds of these encounters in kind of a halfway real, halfway surreal style.This sh*t was wild to actually see. Like, they gave him permission to capture all of this. He has very detailed, very pornographic scenes of his coitus with Crescent and it’s wildly unnerving to see. There are SO many of them just butt-ass naked together, Crescent riding the sh*t out of his dick, and one where he’s teaching his space baby to nurse but it’s just a picture of him with a whole ass alien titty in his mouth. No bullsh*t, he even painted a life size, full frontal, nude of his space wife. Apparently, she gave the okay to get drawn like one of them french girls! Ma has big ass eyes, like those grey aliens everyone talks about, and big ass titties! She, also, apparently believes in that scorched earth theory because ma is completely bald down there. Still, from his rather crude interpretation, ma is kind of a baddie. He says, several times, that she is beautiful so i believe it.
I believe Dave Higgins had these experiences. I also believe we are not alone in the universe. It doesn’t make mathematical sense that we would be. I think Dave had a legitimately enriching relationship and love for his space baby mama. Seriously, how is his story any different from Mary’s immaculate conception? Crescent was David’s angel and he gave her his baby and she, in turn, gave him one helluva story.
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tipsycad147 · 5 years
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Datura 2
Mythology & Preparation. Many myths surround Datura, including some that say Lord Shiva favors the thorn-apple. According to the Vamana Purana, the thorn apple grew from the chest of the Hindu god Shiva, the lord of inebriants. Datura was first mentioned in the ancient Vedic scriptures as ‘Shivashekhera,’ showing the connection to Shiva was made very early. Shiva accepts offerings of Datura flowers even today. Datura flowers are depicted in Hindu Tantric art, and in many cultures a small dose or smoked Datura is considered an aphrodisiac. Datura is also used in Navajo frenzy witchcraft, where one transforms into a Datura animal spirit for either love, power, or both. Datura is associated most with four magical properties: passion, power, prophecy, and protection. It has also been called 'love will', as it is favoured in persuasive love magic.
The medicinal and magical properties of Datura were well known by the Chumash people. In their tradition, Datura was known as Momoy, a wise old Grandmother. Drinking the water she washed her hands in would bring visions of ones future and a spiritual guide. However, she warned her children not to drink too much, or they would meet a terrible fate. Also, strict fasting and other preparations were needed to ensure the journey would be a good one. If someone were to consume Datura without following the guidelines and without proper respect, the spirit was thought to be very hostile. Perhaps you would feel great courage, but also be made so foolish as to run off a cliff or drown in a small pool of water. Of the specifications, sex was strictly prohibited, as was meat and grease. One should be using great self-control, and not indulging during the time of preparation. Generally, tobacco was allowed to be smoked, as Momoy herself was said to eat nothing but tobacco. Nicotiana rustica (Solanaceae) is also an important plant spirit, and some believe was given to humanity as an aide in communication with the supernatural realm. Certainly, tobacco is often used in conjunction with other magical and visionary ceremonies across the world.Among some traditions Coyote is the Datura giver, who came into existence from Momoy's sweat. Some say Coyote is not only the trickster, but perhaps also the first witch/shaman. The rock art of the Lower Pecos indicated that shaman would use Datura to seemingly transform back into coyotes, or other animals. Many spiky Datura seed pods are depicted in the art, and thousands of seeds have been found in ceremonial areas. 
A shaman might also use Datura to diagnosis an illness, or induce a vision of future events. The shaman would prepare him or herself in order to harvest a portion of the sacred plant's root, which would always be done with a prayer. The Datura giver would have to be very knowledgeable about the dose, meaning he or she would need to assess the type of Datura, the soil, age, season, rainfall, moon phase, what parts and amounts to harvest, and finally how to prepare the brew. Datura has three active chemicals (scopolamine, hyoscyamine, and atropine), so all these factors go into determining the best time to harvest a plant with the right chemical concentrations. Harvesting a plant too young, or otherwise unready, may result in too much hyoscyamine or atropine, and not enough scopolamine. This mistake could make for a particularly frightening journey fraught with terrible visions. It might also result in an over dose, which was said to turn you into a devil, if not kill you. 
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VI. Rites of Passage. Historically, Datura would be prepared by a shaman, curandero, other villager elder or wise person. Consuming it is well known to cause incurable madness or death if taken without proper guidance. Datura was used in several cultures as a rite of passage from childhood into adulthood. Often Datura was given to youths upon entering puberty. These events would typically last days or in some cases even weeks. Sensations of death and memory loss can occur with Solanaceae use, making the spiritual journey also literal. The childhood was actually meant to die and the youth to be reborn in a mature form. Many times it would be given in groups, especially with females who reacted less violently. The youths would be leaving their childhood behind and connecting with a spirit guide that would show them their adult path. Great variation existed among tribes. Some would have Datura use occur with a season or at individual choice year round. Other groups might limit its use to once in a lifetime, unless by a spiritual leader. Datura was thought to have many supernatural uses, including the ability to speak with the dead. In some cultures Datura is thought to grow over portals to the realm of the ancestors. In general, atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine have all been associated with communication from dead ancestors. 
Datura taken as a medical cure, which it was also often employed, was not thought to cause supernatural powers. When used to treat an illness, or as an aphrodisiac, only small doses would be given. Datura taken with the specific intent to communicate with the spirit was the only way to get magical access. Datura was known to grant great courage and strength, but also protection from danger. For these reasons Datura also had uses in hunting ceremonies to ensure success. Maybe the greatest gift granted was the ability to see beyond the surface of things, and see them as they really are. V. Divine Beings. A Zuni legend says that long ago, a brother and sister who lived in the underworld found their way up to the light. The brother and sister would take long walks on the earth, wearing Datura flowers in their hair. They learned many things during their walks, and had many adventures. One day they met the Divine Ones, the twin sons of the Sun father. They talked too much about their adventures, about how they had learned to make people see ghosts, and make them sleep, and how they could even make others find lost or stolen objects, or find the thief. The Divine ones decided that these children knew far too much, and something had to be done with them. They caused the brother and sister to disappear from the earth forever; but where they sank back into the underworld sprang up the beautiful white flowers they had worn on their heads. The gods called the flowers by the name of the boy, A’neglakya, and the flowers had many children to be found throughout the land. 
Among the many plants in the Aztec garden that Hernando Cortes encountered was Datura, known for the ability to relieve pain and cause sleep. One of the Aztec names for Datura was Toloatzin, meaning inclined head. Datura flowers are depicted in various Aztec art works and codices, sometimes shown in a ceremonial bowl to be consumed. This sacred plant (and several others) was a important element in ceremonies and communication with the gods. An Aztec magic formulary from the colonial period invokes the plant spirit of Datura with the following prayer: “I call to you, my mother, she who is of the beautiful water! Who is the god, or who has the power to break and consume my magic? Come here, sister of the green woman Ololiuqui, of she by means of which I go and leave the green pain, the brown pain, so that it hides itself.  Go and destroy with your hands the entrails of the possessed, so that you test his power and he falls in shame.” -(Jacinto de la Serna Documentos Ineditos para la Historia de Espawe). In the Peruvian Andes priests at the Temple of the Sun believe that Datura allows them to communicate with the spirits of their ancestors, allowing them to gain wisdom from beyond the grave. This is why they know the thorn-apple as Huacacachu, the grave plant. Sacred Datura may even have been known to the ancient Egyptians, as it is depicted in the stele art "Lady Tuth-Shena". Streaming from the sun disc on Horus's head are five rows of what appear to Datura flowers, which have a distinct trumpet shape, and also five points. These flowers are being received by Tuth-Shena, in this epic depiction of how the gods speak through plants.   
IV. Poison or Medicine? The alkaloid hyoscine in Datura has also been identified as a remedy for organophosphate, nerve gas, and puffer fish exposure. This is another reason why Datura has been used by some darker Voodoo practitioners in Haiti as a ‘Zombie’ poison, when combined with puffer fish toxin. The puffer fish toxin gives the appearance and full effect that a person has died (Being that it is capable of doing just that). A small amount combined with the antidote, Datura, would make it appear as though a person has died, and then returned in a ‘Zombie’ dream-like stupor. Along with the power of suggestion, this is one of the more sinister uses of Datura, and not one which I favour. The effects of Datura toxicity have been described as: "Blind as a bat, mad as a hatter, red as a beet, hot as a hare, dry as a bone, the bowel and bladder lose their tone, and the heart runs alone." Once a person reaches this stage he or she would also be completely delirious and unable to distinguish reality from a waking dream. This is an extremely dangerous state, where hyperthermia (extreme over heating), heart attack, or other serious health complications could occur. However, most deaths happen as a result of the delirious person stumbling unwittingly into danger (oncoming traffic, drowning, etc). 
There are many historical medicinal uses for Datura. While I do not recommend it be used internally today, its capacity for healing should not be over looked. Medicinal doses would all have been minimal to avoid side effects and danger. Formally all parts of the plant were considered anodyne, antispasmodic, hallucinogenic, hypnotic and narcotic. It has been used as a pain killer and also in the treatment of insanity, child birth, fevers with catarrh, diarrhea and skin diseases. Scopolamine is a powerful anticholinergic medicine. Scopolamine has many effects in the body including decreasing the secretion of fluids, slowing the stomach and intestines, and dilation of the pupils. Scopolamine is used in modern medicine to relieve nausea, vomiting, and dizziness associated with motion sickness. Scopolamine may also be used in the treatment of parkinsonism, spastic muscle states, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, and other conditions. Externally, it is used as a poultice or wash in the treatment of fistulas, haemorrhoids, abscesses, wounds and severe pain. The leaves have been successfully smoked as an anti-spasmodic in the treatment for asthma. The seeds are used in Tibetan medicine as analgesic, anti-helmintic and anti-inflammatory. The leaves and branches are effective against many common bacteria and fungi. They are used in the treatment of stomach and intestinal pain due to worm infestation, toothache and fever from inflammations. The juice of the fruit is applied to the scalp to treat dandruff. No topical or bathing applications should be used for any extended period to due to over-dose risks from skin absorption.
In ancient times Belladonna and Datura (due to the Atropine and Scopolamine content) were employed as an antidote for Amantia Muscaria poisoning, as the effects are opposing. New research indicates that in some cases, depending on the type of Amantia, or if another mushroom is eaten by mistake, the effects can actually be potentiated and therefore significantly more dangerous. So while Datura can be a possible antidote for some types of poisoning, medical advice is needed before it can be used safely and confidently. The plant contains several tropane alkaloids, the most active of which is scopolamine. This is a potent cholinergic-blocking deliriant, which has been used to calm schizoid patients in the past. One Datura specimen showed the following scopolamine content: leaves contain 0.52% scopolamine, the calices 1.08%, the stems 0.3%, the roots 0.39%, the fruits 0.77%, the capsules 0.33%, the seeds 0.44% and the whole plant 0.52 – 0.62%. The alkaloid content varies greatly from plant to plant, and has an important impact on the effects experienced, and the danger of toxic over dose. 
IIV. She of Many Names. Known by many names, Angel’s Trumpet, Moonflower, Downy Thorn-Apple, Thorny Apple of Peru, and more than I could possibly list, but here is a sample (especially as most groups had unique names for each datura species). The Zuni call her A'neglakya and u'teaw ko'hanna ("white flower"), the Mazatec A-neg-la-kia, the Dine (Navajo people) called her chamico, chanikah, ch'oxojilghef ("crazy making"). The Tarahumara call her Dekuba, telez-ku, and tikuwari. The Hopi call her Tsimonmana (in connection with her pollinator, the Hawk moth). The Seri say it is devil's weed, hehe camostim ("plant that creates grimaces"), hehe carocot (“plant that makes crazy“). The Spanish called her hierba del diablo, Indian apple, Jamestown weed, Jimson weed, toloache. The Pima called her katundami, and the Huichol called her kieli, Kiéri, nacazcul. 
The Zapotec said she was nocuana-pato. The Mayan called her nohochxtohk'uh ("large plant in the direction of the gods"). To the Tewa she is rauchaofel, rikuri, sape enwoe be. To the Garigia she is rhe solanum manicum, stechapfel, tepate, tecuyaui. The Aztecs knew her as toloatzin, tolochi, tolohuaxihuitl  (“inclined head“), toluache. The Hindus called her Dhatura, Ummatta, and the Sanskrit D'hastura.                                                                     PIMA O’ODAM POEM                                                 Sacred Datura leaves, sacred Datura leaves,                                                         eating your greens intoxicates me,                                                          making me stagger, dizzily leap.                                                       Datura blossoms, Datura blossoms,                                                       drinking your nectar intoxicates me,                                                          making me stagger, dizzily leap.      https://www.moonflowergarden.com/midnight-musing/sacred-datura
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ashotofpeace-blog · 7 years
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Sri Pada
On our penultimate day in Sri Lanka, we (my girlfriend and I) bravely, perhaps stupidly, re-entered the Hill Country in order to climb Sri Pada, or Adam’s Peak. Sri Pada is a mountain over two-thousand meters above sea level.
Supposedly there is a foot print at the top. In line with the multi-denomination nature of this country, visiting the footprint is a pilgrimage for every faith. Buddhists believe the indent was made by Buddha; Muslims say it was left by Adam when he descended from heaven (hence the name); Christians claim it belongs to St. Thomas; the Hindus, Shiva. Others also claim it for their own. This was fitting - although the Tamil-Sinhalese conflict has some basis in Hinduism vs Buddhism, Sri Lankans, from what I have seen, do not really care what your religion is, as long as you have one. Every bus I have been on has contained paintings of Buddha, Shiva, and sometimes Jesus. You will often find dual Buddhist-Hindu temples. The only religion I haven’t really encountered in Sri Lanka is that of the Norse Gods or ancient Egyptians. But I bet down some side street in Kandy you can find someone pledging allegiance to Odin or Horus.
Getting to Adam’s Peak from Galle is a mammoth task: don’t be fooled by how close they look on the map. We left Galle just as the sun was rising and got to the bottom of Adam’s Peak at 9pm. Looking up at the summit in the dark, all you could make out is a daunting silvery line of lights, seemingly ascending forever. As with all hikes in the Hill Country, your aim is to reach the top for sunrise. Considering there are over eight-thousand steps to conquer, you have to set out at 2am in order to catch the transition from night to day. Having already spent the day in cramped and sweltering Sri Lankan public transport, our enthusiasm was dwindling.
Neither us wanted to do this, but neither of us knew the other also didn’t want to. The result - we began climbing at 1am, giving us an hour more than the recommended time. The first three-hundred meters or so were fine, but then the stairs started, and did not end for another three-and-a-half hours. There are, however, places to stop and buy supplies every two hundred steps or so, all the way up to the top. The merchants get their supplies of bottled water and cooking gas, amongst lighter items, by paying young men to physically carry them up the stairs, multiple times per day. My advice to these people: wonder off into the surrounding forest and spend the rest of your days foraging off the land. It will be a lifestyle of comparative paradise.
Eventually, after much grit and determination, we reached the temple at the top containing the impress. Just before we entered, a westerner asked a local a question, who replied with a hilarious fart. Everyone who heard broke into hysterics, making this whole ordeal worthwhile. Proof, if ever it was needed, that flatulence based comedy has no language barrier – our buttholes all speak the same dialect.
To my indifference, you cannot see the footprint as it is covered by solid Buddhist decadence at the centre piece of the temple. I assume it is not on show to preserve what is left of it, or perhaps if you could see it, the mythical allure would be lost. After all it is faith that brings pilgrims on this trek: believing it is there in all its divine glory is sufficient.
I didn’t do this to see a mythical footprint supposedly left by a deity or prophet of your choice (it was likely left by a Vedda - the ancient aboriginal Sri Lankan tribe, of which there are only five-hundred left – or one of the first Singhalese/Tamil migraters from India), I did it for the sense of accomplishment and to see the sun appear through the peaks of the other surrounding mountains to the east. After these had both been satisfied, we began the descent.
Getting down was easier, but it was still tiresome and frustrating. The combination of sleep deprivation and cardiovascular exercise had induced a hallucinogenic type of fatigue I had not felt before. When I saw that multiple vendors on the way down were selling large posters of nude Chinese babies, I questioned whether the last seven hours had happened or if I was still asleep somewhere on the Sri Lankan rail network, dreaming it all. To add to my deteriorating mental and physical state, upon completing Sri Pada we had to immediately catch a seven hour, non air-conditioned bus back to Colombo on a day where the temperature did not drop below thirty-five degrees.
Did I enjoy it all? I’m still not sure. All I know is that I would advise against doing Adam’s Peak unless you are already in the Hill Country.
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johnboothus · 3 years
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Next Round: Bringing Back Old-School Napa Blends With Brendel Wines
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On this episode of “Next Round,” host Zach Geballe chats with Cassandra Felix, brand director of Brendel Wines. Felix details her journey from the hospitality industry into wine production. Then, Felix gives an historical account of the origins of Brendel Wines.
Brendel Wines honors its legacy by producing wine from the Grignolino grape — the grape originally planted by the estate’s founder. Felix discusses how the grape ties into the winery’s past, and how it is used at the winery today. Further, Felix lists the lineup at Brendel Wines, which includes a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chorus Cuvée Blanc. Finally, Felix discusses the current vibe in Napa Valley as newly vaccinated visitors return.
Listen Online
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on Spotify
Or Check out the Conversation Here
Zach Geballe: From Seattle, Washington, I’m Zach Geballe. And this is a “VinePair Podcast” “Next Round” conversation. We’re bringing you these episodes in between our regular podcasts so we can explore a broader range of issues and stories in the drinks world. And today, I am thrilled to be speaking with Cassandra Felix, brand director at Brendel Wines in Napa Valley. Cassandra, how are you?
Cassandra Felix: I am doing fantastic, Zach. How are you?
Z: I’m doing very well. Disclosure to the audience: Cassandra and I were on the Washington Wine Road Trip together in 2016. That is when we met. So nice to reconnect.
C: It’s so great to reconnect. Thanks for getting in touch. I’m so happy to talk to you today.
Z: Yeah. So when we met, you were wine director at a restaurant in Florida, and now you’re working for a winery in Napa Valley. Take us through your wine journey and how you got into wine and how you ended up at Brendel.
C: Absolutely. It’s been a really interesting and wild ride. I first got into wine at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, where I started off as a server and eventually moved my way up into managing the wine program at Flagler’s Steakhouse, which is one of our five-star, five-diamond restaurants at the property. It was really cool. I was able to take a 16-week wine course that the hotel offered for its employees, and I took it multiple times because the first time, I sat for it I actually wasn’t old enough to drink yet.
Z: Oh, wow.
C: Yeah, so I smelled wines for 16 weeks and took it the following year so that I could taste them. Then, one summer, I asked if I could just help put bottles of wine away since it’s typically a slower season for us in Palm Beach there. I guess I did a good job, because they offered me the opportunity to sit for the intro and then the certification soon after. Then, I became an assistant sommelier at HMF, then at Flagler’s Steakhouse. With 2020 bringing a lot of change and unexpected twists and turns, I took advantage of the restaurant shutting down to fulfill a longtime dream of mine to work a harvest in Napa Valley, and I haven’t left. I was able to work a harvest at a cool winery called Buccella in South Napa Valley. I also worked at the Robert Sinskey Vineyards for a little while. Eventually, I was really fortunate to be blessed with this opportunity to manage Brendel. It’s been quite the journey, and I’m really excited about the next chapter.
Z: Yeah, so I want to get into Brendel, the idea behind it, and how you got connected. First, what has it been like moving from the restaurant side to the winemaking/production side? I know that you’re not alone certainly, in the last however many years, but a lot of our listeners who worked in restaurants had to, because of the pandemic, find other opportunities. So what’s that been like for you?
C: It’s been really great, honestly. It’s been really illuminating and fascinating. I think as a sommelier, at times, you can see the world of wine through one specific lens. Typically, just out of a book and interacting with guests, and if you’re fortunate, you get to travel to expand your knowledge. Now, in production, it took a bit of the romance out of it, but I mean that in the best way possible, where you really see the progression and the hard work that goes into each and every bottle of wine. It’s not necessarily the story about the brand, but the people behind the wine that really make it special. It’s been so incredible to see, especially here in Napa, the diversity of wine styles that are able to be produced here in specific markets. When you think of Napa Valley, you are really thinking about Chardonnay and Cabernet, and also those specific styles being very ripe and lush, or very heavy and oaked. Specifically, over the past few months, being here has shown me that there’s a lot of diversity in the plantings that are available here and definitely a lot more than what typically meets the eye in Napa.
Z: Let’s talk about that a little bit because my understanding is that is a big part of the whole idea behind Brendel. Let’s start with how the winery or the brand was founded and what the idea behind it is.
C: Absolutely. When the Lawrence family purchased Heitz Wine Cellars in 2018 along with Carlton McCoy, who is our managing partner, they did a lot of research into the history behind the estate, and they came across a gentleman named Leon Brendel, who is the namesake of the brand. Very little is known about Leon Brendel, except that he was born in Alsace, France, and he studied distillation and enology in Switzerland. He soon became a winemaker at Casa Madero in Mexico and then eventually, in the late 1940s, found his way to Napa and planted a small vineyard of Grignolino, and he named it the Only One Vineyard. In 1961, he sold that vineyard to Joe Heitz with the caveat that a portion must also always be planted to Grignolino. Up until the creation of Brendel in 2019, the Heitz family was very consistent with that and kept their promise. With Brendel, we’re able to maintain and preserve history, but in a really fresh and exciting way. We are definitely making the wines in the post-Prohibition style, similar to the era of Joe Heitz and Leon Brendel, so very approachable. We definitely keep them in the fresh and lighter-bodied style and never use any new oak. We really want this wine to attract, or at least showcase, the diversity of the wine styles that can be produced here in Napa Valley. We’re calling the brand the “new Napa,” but honestly, we’re just bringing the past into the present. Since we were able to control everything that goes into the bottle, from owning our own vineyard and owning our production facilities, we’re able to offer organic and biodynamic-farmed wines at a really incredible price point.
Z: Well, you gave me a lot of things in there that I want to get into more detail in. The Heitz Grignolino wine that you mentioned was one of the wines that when I first tried it was an aha moment that you described as being a little contrary to people’s typical perceptions of Napa Valley. I know that there were people who were a little bit unsure when the Lawrence family bought Heitz, whether or not that style of wine would stick around. It seems like it very much is and is very much central to the whole concept. For those people who aren’t all that familiar with it, can you describe the Grignolino, what it’s like, and why it’s so different from what people’s perception of Napa is?
C: Yeah, of course. Grignolino is indigenous to Piedmont. It’s very similar to grape varietals that might be more familiar from that region such as Dolcetto or Barbera, except that it’s slightly less tannic. It definitely leans more on the vibrant, tart, red fruit side of the spectrum. As a rosé, it’s extremely aromatic. It can be very bone dry, but pretty elegant. With the frizzante style that we’re producing it in with Brendel, it really preserves that freshness and vibrancy. It’s absolutely crushable, very drinkable, and enjoyable.
Z: Very cool. In that vein, what are some of the other either wines or varieties that are available currently under the Brendel label?
C: As I mentioned, all of our wines are fashioned after the post-Prohibition style of winemaking. Back in those days, it was pretty rare to encounter a mono-varietal wine. Typically, wines were heritage field blends made from cuttings brought back from settlers’ homelands. We are able to preserve those nontraditional varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Tinta Madeira, and Tinta Cão. We also have a unique white blend called the Chorus Cuvée Blanc that showcases Malvasia Bianca and Fernão Pires. It’s pretty incredible the freshness, vibrancy, and elegance that can be presented in these wines. Even though those grape varietals don’t typically seem to have a place in the general landscape of Napa Valley, with Brendel, we’re able to preserve that.
Z: Are these older-vine vineyards or these newer plantings? How does that figure in?
C: Yes, they were originally planted in 1961 with Joe Heitz. However, they’ve been replanted, I believe, in the early 2000s.
Z: OK, maybe let’s start with this, too. You mentioned that the wines are not mono-varietal and in particular, they are field blends. Now, some of our listeners are going to be familiar with what that concept means, but can you explain what makes a field blend different than, say, the blend that someone might be familiar with that’s all done in the winery?
C: Typically, a field blend would mean that different varietals are planted side-by-side, and harvested and fermented together. This can contribute a bit less control and a bit more complexity and creativity in the final product. We still harvest and ferment each of the nontraditional varietals in our blends separately. However, historically speaking, that’s what a heritage field blend would be.
Z: OK. So in line with that, you also mentioned that one of the other things that you’re able to do because of the established nature of these vineyards is to offer these wines at a price point that in Napa — which obviously is America’s most premium wine region — doesn’t necessarily break the bank. So what are we talking about for the wines? Whether it’s at a restaurant or for home consumption, how do these fit into people’s drinking habits?
C: We really want Brendel to be a gateway to Napa Valley for a new wine drinker, but also beef up the cellar of a consistent Napa Valley wine drinker. We believe that wine should be accessible to everyone — and not only just any wine, but great wine that’s farmed organically and biodynamically, made by incredible winemakers. Brendel is a perfect wine for a weeknight, or it’s still special and handcrafted and well-made enough to be a gift. A lot of times, wine can be extremely daunting or unapproachable for a newer consumer. Everything about Brendel is about approachability and for it to be enjoyed and shared.
Z: Very cool. I know that you guys are in the process of opening a wine bar or tasting bar in downtown Napa. Can you tell me a little about that?
C: Yes. We are so excited to be opening our tasting room in downtown Napa this summer. Downtown is so electric, and it’s emerging from the shutdown with new energy and enthusiasm as people are starting to return to the Valley. The location is fantastic. It’s centered around the downtown district, surrounded by shops and other wine bars, tasting rooms, and restaurants. Our tasting room will fall in line with the philosophy of the brand and make wine approachable and fun. We really want it to be a place where people can come to learn but also kick back and relax with some great wine in their glass. Education was a great cornerstone in my wine journey, and it’s become a passion, obviously. I am currently studying for the MS and getting to share wine with a larger audience and pay it forward is really a cool opportunity that we’ll be able to fulfill with our tasting room, too.
Z: Very cool. And it is opening this summer, right?
C: Yes, at the end of the summer.
Z: OK, very cool. Maybe this is something you could talk about, maybe not. But with what’s currently available from Brendel, are there plans to add additional wines? Or does it seem, for the time being, that it’s going to be the same lineup?
C: We are actually allowing Brendel to be a creative outlet for all of the winemakers of our estates. We have so much freedom to continue to grow and evolve with the brand. The Grignolino will always be a staple in the brand because it’s so tied to the history and the cornerstone of the brand. However, we will continue to work with possibly bottling single varieties of the nontraditional wines that I had mentioned. We will always use organic and biodynamically farmed grapes. It’s also a huge tenet of the brand. But this can become a real playground for all of the amazing winemakers that we have in our portfolio.
Z: Very cool. OK, I want to ask some questions for people. I know you’re relatively new to Napa, but I’m just curious because this has been something that we’ve heard from a lot of listeners. What is it like in Napa right now? Are people returning to visit? Obviously, we’re now at this period where a lot of people are vaccinated. More are getting that way, and things are reopening. I know you don’t have a previous year of experience to compare it to in terms of working there, but what is the vibe like in Napa right now?
*C: Yes, as I mentioned, people are really ready to come out on the opposite side of this pandemic. I think there has been a very strong effort to roll out the vaccine here, and we are really starting to see — especially in the downtown area where our tasting room is going to be located — I definitely have noticed that people are starting to return to the valley with a lot of excitement.
Z: Very cool. Have you gotten a chance to do some visiting of other wineries and getting to explore other things? Obviously, you’re busy, and as you mentioned, you are studying for the MS exam. But I would imagine that one of the benefits of living in Napa is getting to visit other wineries.
C: Yeah, so I recently got to visit Mayacamas, which was amazing. Outside of that, I haven’t done too much. But again, I did come to Napa right in the middle of the pandemic to work the harvest and then definitely stayed busy since then. I am excited to continue to venture out and explore. There is such a vibrant spirit here that is really hard to explain. Although Napa is world renowned as a fantastic wine-growing region, it’s a land full of farmers and real people that are eager to connect and tell the story of this phenomenal place. It’s a really great community to be a part of.
Z: Excellent. I imagine that you will find, if you haven’t already, a lot of resources to help you in your own personal journey towards becoming a Master Sommelier. Have you been able to connect with other people who are aspirants in that regard or just people who are already masters? What is the community like there?
C: Yes, so I was really fortunate to have incredible mentors back at the Breakers Hotel with Virginia Phillip and Juan Gomez. They definitely ingrained that spirit of paying it forward. That’s also something that I neglected to mention about the brand. We will be utilizing Brendel as an opportunity to partner with the Roots Fund Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization committed to elevating people of color in the wine industry. I’m really excited about doing that. As far as connecting with other sommeliers here, Eric Elliott, who is the estate director of Heitz Cellars, is also sitting for his MS. He’ll be sitting in July, and then George Lobjanidze is the estate director for Burgess Cellars, who is also studying for his MS and is sitting in July. They’ve been really consistent with their studying, whereas I got distracted from moving across the country. But they’ve definitely been encouraging and great sports as far as keeping me on my toes with my studying as well. I’m expanding my reach as far as reaching out to other sommeliers and looking to join a tasting group here soon.
Z: Very cool. Before we wrap things up, Cassandra, is there anything else about Brendel that you believe we didn’t touch on or that you want to make sure that people are aware of?
C: Yes. I think we covered most of it, but I just want to encourage everyone to check out our website and join our mailing list. Also, follow us on social media @BrendelWines. We are really excited about this brand. I’m so thrilled to be able to work for such an incredible project and showcase the incredible things that are happening here in Napa Valley. I’m really thrilled to imagine what can come next for this brand, and it would be great to have everybody be a part of it. And please just check us out on our website.
Z: Excellent, and we will include that information in the show notes. Well, it has been great hearing from you. I’m very excited to see your own personal journey and, of course, what’s going on with Brendel. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
C: Thank you so much, Zach. It was a pleasure.
Thanks so much for listening to the “VinePair Podcast.” If you love the show as much as we love making it, then please give us a rating or review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. It really helps everyone else discover the show.
Now for the credits. “VinePair” is produced and recorded in New York City and in Seattle, Wash., by myself and Zach Geballe, who does all the editing and loves to get the credit. Also, I would love to give a special shout-out to my VinePair co-founder, Josh Malin, for making all this possible and also to Keith Beavers, VinePair’s tastings director, who is additionally a producer on the show. I also want to, of course, thank every other member of the VinePair team, who are instrumental in all of the ideas that go into making the show every week. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you again.
Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.
The article Next Round: Bringing Back Old-School Napa Blends With Brendel Wines appeared first on VinePair.
Via https://vinepair.com/articles/next-round-brendel-wines-napa/
source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/next-round-bringing-back-old-school-napa-blends-with-brendel-wines
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wineanddinosaur · 3 years
Text
Next Round: Bringing Back Old-School Napa Blends With Brendel Wines
Tumblr media
On this episode of “Next Round,” host Zach Geballe chats with Cassandra Felix, brand director of Brendel Wines. Felix details her journey from the hospitality industry into wine production. Then, Felix gives an historical account of the origins of Brendel Wines.
Brendel Wines honors its legacy by producing wine from the Grignolino grape — the grape originally planted by the estate’s founder. Felix discusses how the grape ties into the winery’s past, and how it is used at the winery today. Further, Felix lists the lineup at Brendel Wines, which includes a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chorus Cuvée Blanc. Finally, Felix discusses the current vibe in Napa Valley as newly vaccinated visitors return.
Listen Online
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on Spotify
Or Check out the Conversation Here
Zach Geballe: From Seattle, Washington, I’m Zach Geballe. And this is a “VinePair Podcast” “Next Round” conversation. We’re bringing you these episodes in between our regular podcasts so we can explore a broader range of issues and stories in the drinks world. And today, I am thrilled to be speaking with Cassandra Felix, brand director at Brendel Wines in Napa Valley. Cassandra, how are you?
Cassandra Felix: I am doing fantastic, Zach. How are you?
Z: I’m doing very well. Disclosure to the audience: Cassandra and I were on the Washington Wine Road Trip together in 2016. That is when we met. So nice to reconnect.
C: It’s so great to reconnect. Thanks for getting in touch. I’m so happy to talk to you today.
Z: Yeah. So when we met, you were wine director at a restaurant in Florida, and now you’re working for a winery in Napa Valley. Take us through your wine journey and how you got into wine and how you ended up at Brendel.
C: Absolutely. It’s been a really interesting and wild ride. I first got into wine at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, where I started off as a server and eventually moved my way up into managing the wine program at Flagler’s Steakhouse, which is one of our five-star, five-diamond restaurants at the property. It was really cool. I was able to take a 16-week wine course that the hotel offered for its employees, and I took it multiple times because the first time, I sat for it I actually wasn’t old enough to drink yet.
Z: Oh, wow.
C: Yeah, so I smelled wines for 16 weeks and took it the following year so that I could taste them. Then, one summer, I asked if I could just help put bottles of wine away since it’s typically a slower season for us in Palm Beach there. I guess I did a good job, because they offered me the opportunity to sit for the intro and then the certification soon after. Then, I became an assistant sommelier at HMF, then at Flagler’s Steakhouse. With 2020 bringing a lot of change and unexpected twists and turns, I took advantage of the restaurant shutting down to fulfill a longtime dream of mine to work a harvest in Napa Valley, and I haven’t left. I was able to work a harvest at a cool winery called Buccella in South Napa Valley. I also worked at the Robert Sinskey Vineyards for a little while. Eventually, I was really fortunate to be blessed with this opportunity to manage Brendel. It’s been quite the journey, and I’m really excited about the next chapter.
Z: Yeah, so I want to get into Brendel, the idea behind it, and how you got connected. First, what has it been like moving from the restaurant side to the winemaking/production side? I know that you’re not alone certainly, in the last however many years, but a lot of our listeners who worked in restaurants had to, because of the pandemic, find other opportunities. So what’s that been like for you?
C: It’s been really great, honestly. It’s been really illuminating and fascinating. I think as a sommelier, at times, you can see the world of wine through one specific lens. Typically, just out of a book and interacting with guests, and if you’re fortunate, you get to travel to expand your knowledge. Now, in production, it took a bit of the romance out of it, but I mean that in the best way possible, where you really see the progression and the hard work that goes into each and every bottle of wine. It’s not necessarily the story about the brand, but the people behind the wine that really make it special. It’s been so incredible to see, especially here in Napa, the diversity of wine styles that are able to be produced here in specific markets. When you think of Napa Valley, you are really thinking about Chardonnay and Cabernet, and also those specific styles being very ripe and lush, or very heavy and oaked. Specifically, over the past few months, being here has shown me that there’s a lot of diversity in the plantings that are available here and definitely a lot more than what typically meets the eye in Napa.
Z: Let’s talk about that a little bit because my understanding is that is a big part of the whole idea behind Brendel. Let’s start with how the winery or the brand was founded and what the idea behind it is.
C: Absolutely. When the Lawrence family purchased Heitz Wine Cellars in 2018 along with Carlton McCoy, who is our managing partner, they did a lot of research into the history behind the estate, and they came across a gentleman named Leon Brendel, who is the namesake of the brand. Very little is known about Leon Brendel, except that he was born in Alsace, France, and he studied distillation and enology in Switzerland. He soon became a winemaker at Casa Madero in Mexico and then eventually, in the late 1940s, found his way to Napa and planted a small vineyard of Grignolino, and he named it the Only One Vineyard. In 1961, he sold that vineyard to Joe Heitz with the caveat that a portion must also always be planted to Grignolino. Up until the creation of Brendel in 2019, the Heitz family was very consistent with that and kept their promise. With Brendel, we’re able to maintain and preserve history, but in a really fresh and exciting way. We are definitely making the wines in the post-Prohibition style, similar to the era of Joe Heitz and Leon Brendel, so very approachable. We definitely keep them in the fresh and lighter-bodied style and never use any new oak. We really want this wine to attract, or at least showcase, the diversity of the wine styles that can be produced here in Napa Valley. We’re calling the brand the “new Napa,” but honestly, we’re just bringing the past into the present. Since we were able to control everything that goes into the bottle, from owning our own vineyard and owning our production facilities, we’re able to offer organic and biodynamic-farmed wines at a really incredible price point.
Z: Well, you gave me a lot of things in there that I want to get into more detail in. The Heitz Grignolino wine that you mentioned was one of the wines that when I first tried it was an aha moment that you described as being a little contrary to people’s typical perceptions of Napa Valley. I know that there were people who were a little bit unsure when the Lawrence family bought Heitz, whether or not that style of wine would stick around. It seems like it very much is and is very much central to the whole concept. For those people who aren’t all that familiar with it, can you describe the Grignolino, what it’s like, and why it’s so different from what people’s perception of Napa is?
C: Yeah, of course. Grignolino is indigenous to Piedmont. It’s very similar to grape varietals that might be more familiar from that region such as Dolcetto or Barbera, except that it’s slightly less tannic. It definitely leans more on the vibrant, tart, red fruit side of the spectrum. As a rosé, it’s extremely aromatic. It can be very bone dry, but pretty elegant. With the frizzante style that we’re producing it in with Brendel, it really preserves that freshness and vibrancy. It’s absolutely crushable, very drinkable, and enjoyable.
Z: Very cool. In that vein, what are some of the other either wines or varieties that are available currently under the Brendel label?
C: As I mentioned, all of our wines are fashioned after the post-Prohibition style of winemaking. Back in those days, it was pretty rare to encounter a mono-varietal wine. Typically, wines were heritage field blends made from cuttings brought back from settlers’ homelands. We are able to preserve those nontraditional varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Tinta Madeira, and Tinta Cão. We also have a unique white blend called the Chorus Cuvée Blanc that showcases Malvasia Bianca and Fernão Pires. It’s pretty incredible the freshness, vibrancy, and elegance that can be presented in these wines. Even though those grape varietals don’t typically seem to have a place in the general landscape of Napa Valley, with Brendel, we’re able to preserve that.
Z: Are these older-vine vineyards or these newer plantings? How does that figure in?
C: Yes, they were originally planted in 1961 with Joe Heitz. However, they’ve been replanted, I believe, in the early 2000s.
Z: OK, maybe let’s start with this, too. You mentioned that the wines are not mono-varietal and in particular, they are field blends. Now, some of our listeners are going to be familiar with what that concept means, but can you explain what makes a field blend different than, say, the blend that someone might be familiar with that’s all done in the winery?
C: Typically, a field blend would mean that different varietals are planted side-by-side, and harvested and fermented together. This can contribute a bit less control and a bit more complexity and creativity in the final product. We still harvest and ferment each of the nontraditional varietals in our blends separately. However, historically speaking, that’s what a heritage field blend would be.
Z: OK. So in line with that, you also mentioned that one of the other things that you’re able to do because of the established nature of these vineyards is to offer these wines at a price point that in Napa — which obviously is America’s most premium wine region — doesn’t necessarily break the bank. So what are we talking about for the wines? Whether it’s at a restaurant or for home consumption, how do these fit into people’s drinking habits?
C: We really want Brendel to be a gateway to Napa Valley for a new wine drinker, but also beef up the cellar of a consistent Napa Valley wine drinker. We believe that wine should be accessible to everyone — and not only just any wine, but great wine that’s farmed organically and biodynamically, made by incredible winemakers. Brendel is a perfect wine for a weeknight, or it’s still special and handcrafted and well-made enough to be a gift. A lot of times, wine can be extremely daunting or unapproachable for a newer consumer. Everything about Brendel is about approachability and for it to be enjoyed and shared.
Z: Very cool. I know that you guys are in the process of opening a wine bar or tasting bar in downtown Napa. Can you tell me a little about that?
C: Yes. We are so excited to be opening our tasting room in downtown Napa this summer. Downtown is so electric, and it’s emerging from the shutdown with new energy and enthusiasm as people are starting to return to the Valley. The location is fantastic. It’s centered around the downtown district, surrounded by shops and other wine bars, tasting rooms, and restaurants. Our tasting room will fall in line with the philosophy of the brand and make wine approachable and fun. We really want it to be a place where people can come to learn but also kick back and relax with some great wine in their glass. Education was a great cornerstone in my wine journey, and it’s become a passion, obviously. I am currently studying for the MS and getting to share wine with a larger audience and pay it forward is really a cool opportunity that we’ll be able to fulfill with our tasting room, too.
Z: Very cool. And it is opening this summer, right?
C: Yes, at the end of the summer.
Z: OK, very cool. Maybe this is something you could talk about, maybe not. But with what’s currently available from Brendel, are there plans to add additional wines? Or does it seem, for the time being, that it’s going to be the same lineup?
C: We are actually allowing Brendel to be a creative outlet for all of the winemakers of our estates. We have so much freedom to continue to grow and evolve with the brand. The Grignolino will always be a staple in the brand because it’s so tied to the history and the cornerstone of the brand. However, we will continue to work with possibly bottling single varieties of the nontraditional wines that I had mentioned. We will always use organic and biodynamically farmed grapes. It’s also a huge tenet of the brand. But this can become a real playground for all of the amazing winemakers that we have in our portfolio.
Z: Very cool. OK, I want to ask some questions for people. I know you’re relatively new to Napa, but I’m just curious because this has been something that we’ve heard from a lot of listeners. What is it like in Napa right now? Are people returning to visit? Obviously, we’re now at this period where a lot of people are vaccinated. More are getting that way, and things are reopening. I know you don’t have a previous year of experience to compare it to in terms of working there, but what is the vibe like in Napa right now?
*C: Yes, as I mentioned, people are really ready to come out on the opposite side of this pandemic. I think there has been a very strong effort to roll out the vaccine here, and we are really starting to see — especially in the downtown area where our tasting room is going to be located — I definitely have noticed that people are starting to return to the valley with a lot of excitement.
Z: Very cool. Have you gotten a chance to do some visiting of other wineries and getting to explore other things? Obviously, you’re busy, and as you mentioned, you are studying for the MS exam. But I would imagine that one of the benefits of living in Napa is getting to visit other wineries.
C: Yeah, so I recently got to visit Mayacamas, which was amazing. Outside of that, I haven’t done too much. But again, I did come to Napa right in the middle of the pandemic to work the harvest and then definitely stayed busy since then. I am excited to continue to venture out and explore. There is such a vibrant spirit here that is really hard to explain. Although Napa is world renowned as a fantastic wine-growing region, it’s a land full of farmers and real people that are eager to connect and tell the story of this phenomenal place. It’s a really great community to be a part of.
Z: Excellent. I imagine that you will find, if you haven’t already, a lot of resources to help you in your own personal journey towards becoming a Master Sommelier. Have you been able to connect with other people who are aspirants in that regard or just people who are already masters? What is the community like there?
C: Yes, so I was really fortunate to have incredible mentors back at the Breakers Hotel with Virginia Phillip and Juan Gomez. They definitely ingrained that spirit of paying it forward. That’s also something that I neglected to mention about the brand. We will be utilizing Brendel as an opportunity to partner with the Roots Fund Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization committed to elevating people of color in the wine industry. I’m really excited about doing that. As far as connecting with other sommeliers here, Eric Elliott, who is the estate director of Heitz Cellars, is also sitting for his MS. He’ll be sitting in July, and then George Lobjanidze is the estate director for Burgess Cellars, who is also studying for his MS and is sitting in July. They’ve been really consistent with their studying, whereas I got distracted from moving across the country. But they’ve definitely been encouraging and great sports as far as keeping me on my toes with my studying as well. I’m expanding my reach as far as reaching out to other sommeliers and looking to join a tasting group here soon.
Z: Very cool. Before we wrap things up, Cassandra, is there anything else about Brendel that you believe we didn’t touch on or that you want to make sure that people are aware of?
C: Yes. I think we covered most of it, but I just want to encourage everyone to check out our website and join our mailing list. Also, follow us on social media @BrendelWines. We are really excited about this brand. I’m so thrilled to be able to work for such an incredible project and showcase the incredible things that are happening here in Napa Valley. I’m really thrilled to imagine what can come next for this brand, and it would be great to have everybody be a part of it. And please just check us out on our website.
Z: Excellent, and we will include that information in the show notes. Well, it has been great hearing from you. I’m very excited to see your own personal journey and, of course, what’s going on with Brendel. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
C: Thank you so much, Zach. It was a pleasure.
Thanks so much for listening to the “VinePair Podcast.” If you love the show as much as we love making it, then please give us a rating or review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. It really helps everyone else discover the show.
Now for the credits. “VinePair” is produced and recorded in New York City and in Seattle, Wash., by myself and Zach Geballe, who does all the editing and loves to get the credit. Also, I would love to give a special shout-out to my VinePair co-founder, Josh Malin, for making all this possible and also to Keith Beavers, VinePair’s tastings director, who is additionally a producer on the show. I also want to, of course, thank every other member of the VinePair team, who are instrumental in all of the ideas that go into making the show every week. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you again.
Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.
The article Next Round: Bringing Back Old-School Napa Blends With Brendel Wines appeared first on VinePair.
source https://vinepair.com/articles/next-round-brendel-wines-napa/
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teachergaming-blog · 6 years
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Bullet Strike Battlegrounds Hack, Cheats, Tips & Guide
There are many factors which are considered to make this game unique and amazing, you must know that the game is running around having as many players as possible into one battlefield with one goal. Which is becoming the lone survivor. You have to do whatever it takes in order to kill them all and become the only one alive, such a thing would require very high skill level from your side and also an upgraded and advanced technology. Use the Bullet Strike Battlegrounds cheats to be able to afford these necessary items.
Bullet Strike Battlegrounds was created and published by “Horus Entertainment” company and it is available to be downloaded and played totally for free on any Android or IOS platform.
The game is still on its beta version, but you can get it running with an android version 4.4 and up. These requirements are totally changeable depending on the situation and the latest version of the game so far. And the equal requirements are applied on the IOS.
Overall, the game does not relay on the graphics mainly, it has many other prospects which are considered to be main game changers, so give it your shot if you are not using a flagship device.
How The Game Works?
In this detailed Bullet Strike Battlegrounds guide, we will be walking deeper into the main components and features of the game. The first thing we have found it entertaining is the necessarily of having an internet connection to play the game.
Some players might consider this as a con, but the fact of knowing you will be getting matched up with players from all over the world and taking control over the characters in one of the finest real time battle systems. That is only more than enough to any player that would be looking after a skill based game.
Your skill level will determine in which bracket you are going to be, as the game has decided to create this new ranking system to get the players whom are similar in skill level matched against each other for higher balanced games and more fun.
Of course the techniques and smart ways to kill are still unknown for you, but since we are progressing forward and scrolling down here, there will be tons of advanced instructions that would keep a simple player transform into a pro in no time.
Pre Match Instructions.
At the start, do not forget to pick up the right region as this will play a major factor on your MS at the game, and the higher your MS the more lagging and stuttering the game will and that would become a major problem for you. So it is advised to pick up a region that you are current living in and if you cannot find your own region, then selecting the closets one would be fine. Follow our remaining set of Bullet Strike Battlegrounds tips for improved gaming experience.
The game is in early access stages and the developers will be making adjustments based directly on the player’s comments. So the feedback button should become your new friend and start using it more frequently for each time you face a bug in.
Using the Bullet Strike Battlegrounds hack would be considered as a major option as well since you will be looking for any way to enhance your strength to survive in a map that holds up to 20 different players. Each one of them is only looking for blood and killing others to survive, so do not expect a friendly envier Monet at all.
Tip: stay alive to win!
This is one of the dumbest tips we have ever seen in a game, but you keep encountering it in between the loading screens. Be patient when you are finding a match because it would be taking longer periods than usual due to the low player’s numbers as the game is still in its early stages.
And once the game is found, you will enter a lobby with 20 slots and you can see the players’ names as an introduction. But this is a loading phase as well so preparing yourself with the Bullet Strike Battlegrounds hack right before the match begins sounds like a good idea.
And right now, we will be diving deeper into the gameplay and speak more of the UI and how the controls are working on the ground for real.
The game is not bringing anything strange or weird to our eyes, you can find the movement joystick located on its regular location, bottom left corner of the screen. And right on the opposite side the crawl and bend bottoms. And if you move a little bit further, you will find an option to change the current weapon you are holding. But the weapons could be obtained easier via Bullet Strike Battlegrounds cheats and there are some other ways we will speak about next.
Keep Track of the Remaining Players On the Field.
The counter on the top side of the screen should become your main concern alongside the map on the left. You have to know exactly how many players are left and once you hear gunfire…check the map it will show you the locations of the players engaged in battles recently with red dots.
Every few minutes of the playtime, the map size will decrease and force the players to enter a battle on closer range. This is creating some sort of an advanced battle and help to make the game more fun. Get ready quickly with Bullet Strike Battlegrounds hack before anyone else.
Check the abandoned buildings for weapons and armors, and keep looking everywhere for items to wear, as once you enter the battleground you will be totally naked. And that is not going to become much of a help to win the game.
Becoming the last survivor out of 20 players requires items and patience and skills, alongside the Bullet Strike Battlegrounds cheats. All of these requirements must be met to ensure the success and victory.
Final Conclusion.
This game has been breaking out records and making everyone lose his mind, so you would be enjoying the time spent in there. But it is very competitive and require some certain special type of skills to play it. And if you do not have these skill levels, then the Bullet Strike Battlegrounds cheats would never be able to save you by any sort of way.
A skill based game, knowing when to sneak in and when to hold your ground and let them finish off the battle. For each player you are killing, there will be an option to pick up his dropped items and use it for your own good. Consider it as an enhancement for your journey. And now with our final tip, get your hands on the Bullet Strike Battlegrounds hack for faster and stronger progression.
The First publisher is : Giant Cheats
Main Post Link : https://giantcheats.com/bullet-strike-battlegrounds-hack-cheats-tips-guide/
Topic :   Bullet Strike Battlegrounds Hack, Cheats, Tips & Guide
Re Shared on “WithoutWax” : http://withoutwax.tv/2017/11/15/bullet-strike-battlegrounds-cheats-hack-tips/
Re-Shared too on “WeAdvance” : http://weadvance.org/bullet-strike-battlegrounds-hack-cheats-tricks/
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